Mail-bag-transfer mechanism



R. W. HORTON AND J. E, MOLESWORTH. MAIL BAG TRANSFER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1919.

1,361,729. 0 Patented Dec. 7,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

R. W. HORTON AND J. E. MOLESWORTH.

Patentsd Dec. 7, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

.R. w. HORTON AND J. E. MOLESWORTH. MML BAG TRANSFER MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR-14,1919.

1,361,729, Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROSS W. HORTON AND J'EHIEL E. MOLESWORTH, OF NEW ATHENS, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG-TRANSFER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

Application filed April 14, 1919. Serial No. 290,037.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Ross W. HORTON and JEHIEL E. MOLESWORTH, citizens of the United States, residing at New Athens, in the county of Harrison and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag-Transfer Mechanisms, of which the "following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for the transferring of mail bags to and from mail cars at stations and has as one of its objects to provide a device which will, in operation, effect the transfer of the mail bags without injury to the bags or contents thereof. Usually such devices embody crane arms which engage the bag at its middle or the bag is otherwise subjected to such blows or rough handling that it is liable to injury. Therefore the present invention contemplates so constructing the device that the mail bag and contents thereof will not be engaged or struck or otherwise subjected to injury in being transferred from the station crane to the car crane or vice versa.

The device embodying the invention includes rings which are designed to suspend the bags to be transferred, and it is another object of the invention to so construct the cranes that these rings when placed thereon will be accurately positioned for engagement by the crane arm to which the bag is to be transferred.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the receiving crane arm that when the bag ring is engaged thereby, the ring will be prevented from slipping oil from the arm through the momentum of the bag or any swinging movement of the bag.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the transferring device that the same will be entirely safe to employ and will perform its functions with accuracy and pren .l

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective viewillustrating the device embodying the present invention, the view illustrating the manner in which the crane carried by the mail car is to approach the station crane;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the car crane;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the car crane arranged within the car;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating the manner in which the crane arms coactg Fig. 5 is a view partly in top plan and partly in section illustrating the car and station cranes set for the transfer of the bags;

Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the positions of the cranes after the bags have been transferred.

I will first describe the car crane and the station crane and'will then point out fully the manner in which these cranes 'co'act in the transfer of the mail bags.

The car crane comprises a standard 1 mounted at its upper and lower ends'in suitable bearings 2, preferably ball bearings,

suitably positioned within the mail car 3 at one side of the doorway 4 of the said car, the standard being thus adapted to have rotative movement. In order that the standard may be rotatably moved a collar 5 is fitted thereon and is held in positions of vertical adjustment upon the standard by means of a set screw 6, the collar being provided with a handle 7 which may be grasped for the purpose of rotatably adjusting the said standard. For a nurnose to be'presently described the collar is provided with a steadying arm 8 which extends radially therefrom and is designed to extend through and beyond the door opening 4when the standard is rotated similarly to position the crane arm. The said crane arm is indicated in general by the numeral 9 and the same extends radially from the standard 1 above the arm 8 and is provided or formed at its outer end with a forwardly extending branch 10 provided with an upstanding and rearwardly directed finger 11 located near its extremity. A supporting finger 12 e1;- tends rearwardly from the end'of the arm 9 or, in other wordsjfrfo'm the said arm 9 atthe juncture of its branch 10 therewith, and a similar finger '13'extends' beyond the point of juncture of the arm 9 audits branch 10 as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of thedrawinas. The reference letter M indicates the mail bags and each of these bags is suitably connected to a suspension ring 14 of a suitable diameter. In suspending one or more of the bags from the car crane, the ring 14 18 engaged over the supporting finger 12 in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5 of the drawings h the are Pe i s- 2? th in resting against the rear side of the arm 9 and the rear side of the steadying finger 13. The ring is of such diameter that its lower side will rest against the rear side of the steadying arm 8 at the outer end of the said arm, and in order that the ring may be held against swinging or turning movement, a plece of cord or tape 15 may be tied through the ring and about the end of the said arm 8. It will be understood at this point that due to the fact that the upper side of the ring engages against the arm 9 at one side of the supporting finger 12 with which the ring is engaged and against the steadying finger 18 at the other side of the said supporting finger, the ring will be prevented from twisting or turning upon the supporting finger and will therefore be held accurately in osition facing the direction of travel 0 the car. Also inasmuch as the lower side of the ring is temporarily anchored to the steadying arm 8, the ring will be prevented from swinging to and fro upon the said finger 12.

The station crane comprises a post or other suitable supporting device 16 fixedly mount ed in place beside the track over which the mail car is to. travel and the arm of this crane is indicated in general by the numeral 17 and is provided with a branch 18 extending in the general direction of travel of the car, the arm being provided with a steadying finger 19 corresponding to the finger 13 heretofore referred to and projecting therefrom at the point of juncture of the arm with the extension 18. A steadying arm 20 also extends from the post 16 and corresponds in effect to the arm 8 inasmuch as the ring 14 of a bag M engaged upon the suspension branch 18 of the arm 17 will be steadied by the said arm 20 and may be temporarily anchored thereto by means of the piece of string or tape 15 referred to above. A receiving arm 21 extends from the arm 20 in the direction of the approaching train and is provided with a retaining finger 22 corresponding to the finger 11.

From the foregoing description of the invention and by reference to the several views of the drawings it will be understood that the bags having been suspended upon the arms of the two cranes in the manner heretofore described, the transfer ofthe'bags will be effected in the following manner. As the train crane passes the station crane, the receiving arm 10 of the former will pass through the ring 14: of the mail bag suspended upon the arm 18 and will, of course, pull 7 the ring off from the said arm thus effecting the transfer of the bag from the station crane to the car crane, and due to the presence of the retaining finger 11 the ring 14 will be prevented from accidentally slipping off from the said receiving arm 10. At the same time the receiving arm 21 of the station crane will enter and engage the ring 141 arm, a-bag carrying ring suspended from of the mail bag suspended upon the finger 12 of the car crane and thus this ring will be pulled off from the said finger and will be retained upon the said arm 21 due to the presence of the retaining finger 22. By grasping the handle 7 the attendant in the mail car may then rotate the standard 1 so as to swing the crane arm inwardly through the doorway l whereupon the mail bag may be removed from the supporting arm and another bag to be transferred may be placed in position upon the said arm. Ordinarily the crane arm 9 upon the car will be located in an overhead position so that it will not interfere with free movement of the attendant within the car, and the arm 8, when temporarily not in use may be similarly positioned by loosening the said screw 6 and sliding the collar 5 upwardly upon the standard 1 to bring the arm 8 immediately beneath the arm 9, the collar being again lowered upon approaching a station where it is desired to transfer mail.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: 90

1. In a mail bag transfer device, a crane comprising a standard, a crane arm extending laterally therefrom and provided with a supporting finger disposed at substantially right angles to said arm, a steadying finger disposed in the same longitudinal plane with the crane arm and projecting beyond the supporting finger, a steadying arm extending from the standard beneath the crane the supporting finger and having its upper portion bearing against the crane arm and steadying finger and its lower portion normally bearing against the steadying arm whereby said ring is held from swinging and turning movement on the supporting finger, and means for detachably securing the bag carrying member to said steadying arm.

2. In a mail bag transfer device, a crane comprising a standard, a crane arm extend- .110 ing laterally therefrom and having a supporting finger disposed at substantially right angles thereto and a steadying finger arranged in the same plane with the crane arm, said crane arm being provided with a lateral branch having a retaining finger secured to the upper surface thereof, a steadying arm extending from the standard-beneath the crane arm, and a bag carrying ring suspended from the supporting finger and having its upper portion normally rest ing against the crane arm and steadying finger and its lower portion normally resting against the steadying arm.

3. In a mail bag. transfer device, a crane comprising a standard, a crane arm extending therefrom and having a supporting finger disposed at substantially right angles arm, a collar mounted for vertical adjustment on the standard and provided With a steadying arm, and a bag carrying ring loosely fitted on the supporting finger and having its upper portion normally bearing against the crane arm and steadying finger and its lower portion bearing against and detachably secured to the steadying arm.

4. In a mail bag transfer device, a crane comprising a standard, a mail carrying arm extending laterally therefrom and having its free end bent upon itself to form a receivnally at substantially right angles to the ing finger and thence extended longitudi-.

arm to produce a supporting finger, a steadying finger disposed at the junction of the receiving arm and supporting finger, a steadying arm adjustable vertically of the stand ard and coacting with thecrane arm, and a. bag car ing ring suspended from the supporting nger and having its upper portion bearing against the crane arm and steadying finger and its lower portion resting against the steadying arm.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures.

ROSS W. HORTON. L. s. JEHIEL E. MOLES OR H. 

